Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide virtual hover zones. When a user lowers a hovering stylus while remaining within a hover zone, cursor control is modified to be more easily controllable by the user. If the user pauses the stylus in mid-air before lowering the stylus, and if the stylus remains within the hover zone, then upon touchdown the cursor may be moved to the projection of the location where the stylus was paused. Any action that may be taken in response to the touch down may be sent to the projection location as well. Also provided are cursor control zones. A dampening zone may be used to provide dampened cursor movement feedback in response to movement input provided by a pointing device. Also, a dead zone may be used to prohibit cursor movement in response to movement input provided by the pointing device.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Ink-stroke information associated with one or more data packets is received, and it is determined that the ink-stroke information comprises a gesture indication. The gesture indication is communicated to an ink collection object which causes the ink collection object to delete the ink stroke information.

Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Ink-stroke information associated with one or more data packets is received, and it is determined that the ink-stroke information comprises a gesture indication. The gesture indication is communicated to an ink collection object which causes the ink collection object to delete the ink stroke information.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is given priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is give priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.

Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is given priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.

Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is give priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.

Abstract: A system for enabling a tablet input object is described. A tablet input object can take various inputs from touch, a mouse, and a pen and sends their information to an application or operating system. Also, a pen message pathway may also be used to handle touch messages, thereby reusing an existing pen message pathway for messages created by something other than a pen.

Abstract: Upon detection of user input, a computing device (e.g., tablet PC, PDA, cellular device) may determine whether the input corresponds to a request to enhance elements of the user interface. In response to a positive determination, the computing device may magnify or otherwise modify the appearance of particular graphical elements of the interface to facilitate user interaction. The computing device identifies one or more graphical elements that are within a predefined proximity or area of the input location and displays an enlarged version of those elements to provide the user with a larger interaction area. Additionally, a computing device may clone (i.e., copy) the identified elements and enlarge the cloned elements at a specified region of the user interface. In another aspect, the computing device may magnify the entire area associated with the location of user input, rather than just the interactive elements of that predefined area.

Abstract: A system for enabling a tablet input object is described. A tablet input object can take various inputs from touch, a mouse, and a pen and sends their information to an application or operating system. Also, a pen message pathway may also be used to handle touch messages, thereby reusing an existing pen message pathway for messages created by something other than a pen.

Abstract: Gesture feedback techniques are discussed that provide prompt feedback to a user concerning the recognition of one or more gestures. The feedback may be employed to confirm to a user that a gesture is being correctly recognized.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the display and use of a UI element are disclosed. In an embodiment, the UI element may configured so that it initially maintains a topmost position but eventually allows other applications to assume the topmost position. In an embodiment, the display of the element may be adjusted in response to an input so that the UI element is not visible on the display. In an embodiment, the use of the UI element may allow for seamless dragging of the UI element even if the user inadvertently fails to make consistent contact with the touch-sensitive display while dragging the UI element.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention reduce the number of false positive touch inputs made by a non-stylus object such as the user's finger or hand. When the stylus is located proximate to the touch-sensitive surface, the sensitivity of the surface to non-stylus input is disabled, reduced, or otherwise modified. For example, non-stylus inputs may be ignored while the stylus is within a proximity zone defined near the touch-sensitive surface. Further aspects of the present invention are directed to adjusting the threshold requirements of a non-stylus input depending upon where on the touch-sensitive surface the input is made. Still further aspects of the present invention are directed to calibrating various sensitivity thresholds for non-stylus input, as well as the size and/or shape of the proximity zone.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide virtual hover zones. When a user lowers a hovering stylus while remaining within a hover zone, cursor control is modified to be more easily controllable by the user. If the user pauses the stylus in mid-air before lowering the stylus, and if the stylus remains within the hover zone, then upon touchdown the cursor may be moved to the projection of the location where the stylus was paused. Any action that may be taken in response to the touch down may be sent to the projection location as well. Also provided are cursor control zones. A dampening zone may be used to provide dampened cursor movement feedback in response to movement input provided by a pointing device. Also, a dead zone may be used to prohibit cursor movement in response to movement input provided by the pointing device.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the display and use of a UI element are disclosed. In an embodiment, the UI element may configured so that it initially maintains a topmost position but eventually allows other applications to assume the topmost position. In an embodiment, the display of the UI element may be adjusted in response to an input so that the UI element is not visible on the display. In an embodiment, the use of the UI element may allow for seamless dragging of the UI element even if the user inadvertently fails to make consistent contact with the touch-sensitive display while dragging the UI element.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide virtual hover zones. When a user lowers a hovering stylus while remaining within a hover zone, cursor control is modified to be more easily controllable by the user. If the user pauses the stylus in mid-air before lowering the stylus, and if the stylus remains within the hover zone, then upon touchdown the cursor may be moved to the projection of the location where the stylus was paused. Any action that may be taken in response to the touch down may be sent to the projection location as well. Also provided are cursor control zones. A dampening zone may be used to provide dampened cursor movement feedback in response to movement input provided by a pointing device. Also, a dead zone may be used to prohibit cursor movement in response to movement input provided by the pointing device.

Abstract: A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is give priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.